I try and try, but it doesn't work

S

Stephen

I posted a question earlier about an old msdos program
that i couldn't get to run properly on windows xp - I have
now tried all of the compatibility options combinations
and yet it still won't work correctly. Even though it's
old, I have a windows2000 machine right next to the xp
machine that runs it fine. Changing the compatibility to
2000 doesn't help, however. If anyone has any ideas for
getting this program up and running, i'm up for anything.
Thanks.
 
P

Papa

Please stick to the same thread, or include what was written in your
previous thread, if you want people to know the full story. No one wants to
search the NG to find your original post.
 
D

David Candy

That's great, considering compatability has nothing to do with Dos. Dos programs have to be treated the same way as dos programs. Dos programs don't work on Dos unless Dos is configured for it. Same thing.
 
T

The Unknown P

As I didn't see any other threads by you and would appear
to have a cooler head than the other replies let me
explain your problem. XP DOES NOT HAVE DOS. It is not
written on or over DOS and therefore does not have it. It
does have a DOS emulator by way of the command line
interface but this is not to be mistaken for DOS. XP DOES
NOT HAVE DOS. Keep smiling.
 
L

Loctite

setup a dual boot system
XP and win98

Stephen said:
I posted a question earlier about an old msdos program
that i couldn't get to run properly on windows xp - I have
now tried all of the compatibility options combinations
and yet it still won't work correctly. Even though it's
old, I have a windows2000 machine right next to the xp
machine that runs it fine. Changing the compatibility to
2000 doesn't help, however. If anyone has any ideas for
getting this program up and running, i'm up for anything.
Thanks.
 
A

Alex Nichol

Stephen said:
I posted a question earlier about an old msdos program
that i couldn't get to run properly on windows xp - I have
now tried all of the compatibility options combinations
and yet it still won't work correctly. Even though it's
old, I have a windows2000 machine right next to the xp
machine that runs it fine.

Compatibility wizards are not going to help. You may need just to
improves the environment (memory settings etc) for it; but there is
quite a chance that it just will not work in XP. Tolerance of bad DOS
programs has reduced from version to version, and has tightened even
between Win2000 and XP. If that turns out to be the problem, all you
can do is an alternative boot (say a Win98 startup floppy) and run it
from that, with a FAT 32 partition available to hold program and data.

But as a last stage: For best DOS conventional memory, edit the
windows\system32\config.nt and autoexec.nt files.

In config.nt have (apart from the large number of REM lines) just
EMM = B=4000 RAM
(note the exact spaces - either side of the first = and before RAM,
none next to the second =) and

dos=high, umb
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
files=40
(or higher files= if needed)

and in autoexec.nt have

REM Install DPMI support
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx

with other earlier lh lines REM ed out, and then any SET or PATH lines
that may already be present at the end.

This should give about 612K for a program, run from a shortcut made to
its .exe file. R-click the shortcut, Properties and on the Memory page
you can set an explicit value - rather than Auto - for any EMM or XMS
memory it may need, and for initial environment space
 

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